Delhi’s Connaught Place to be no-go zone for vehicles

New Delhi’s centrally-located posh business district, Connaught Place (CP), is expected to become a vehicle-free zone from February 20 — a move which was earlier planned to be implemented by the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) from February 1 but had to be deferred owing to opposition from traders and lack of clarity on part of the civic body, a media report said.

“We are working with all the stakeholders and expect to implement the Union Development Ministry order from February 20. Several ideas have been put up and we are consulting experts before we finalise the blueprint,” the Times of India quoted NDMC Chairman Naresh Kumar as saying.

Kumar had announced on January 6 that vehicles will not be allowed in the British era commercial centre from the first week of February, but the NDMC decision faced stiff opposition from traders who raised objections claiming the move would affect their business.

To implement the decision, NDMC had purchased battery-operated vehicles and built cycle stands in the area. However, the council was not able to find a solution for diverting the traffic. But now NDMC has decided to go ahead with its decision and set the date of February 20 to make inner circle of CP vehicle free on a trial basis.

“We have three multilevel parking facilities, which are not being utilised to their full capacity. In the initial phase, we will focus only on the inner circle. Gradually, we will extend it to the middle circle,” Kumar said.

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